New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed BJP's victory in polls to Maharashtra's local bodies as a "win for pro-poor and development politics" and thanked people of the state for placing their faith in the party.

I thank people of Maharashtra for placing their faith in BJP in local body polls. This is a win for pro-poor & development politics of BJP.

BJP on Monday emerged as a major gainer in the first phase of municipal council polls winning 39 municipal chief's posts of the 147 urban local bodies, dealing a blow to Congress and NCP in the keenly fought elections, whose campaign centred around issues like demonetisation.

Trends and results pouring in from around the state showed the BJP making inroads into the Congress and NCP strongholds.

Polls were also held for 17 nagar panchayats on Sunday.

As per the trends available till late afternoon, BJP was ahead with its candidates winning 455 seats, its ally Shiv Sena with 187, NCP 231 and Congress 333.

In the last elections, BJP tally was 298, Sena 264, Congress 771 and NCP 916.